Doctor called burns and bruises to Lorain boy who died a 'textbook case' of abuse, detective says

LORAIN, Ohio - A MetroHealth doctor called the severe burns and other injuries a 2-year-old boy suffered before he died a "textbook case of a child that had been abused," a detective said Monday in court.

The doctor who examined Brandon Williams before he died Nov. 22 said the boy had second-degree burns on approximately 45 percent of his body. The boy also had bruises on his face and thigh and a fractured rib that had been healing for two to three months, Lorain Detective Tabitha Angello said in Lorain Municipal Court.

The information was revealed during preliminary hearings for Andre Moore, who is charged with aggravated murder and child endangering in the boy's death, and Brandon's mother Samone Boykins, who is charged with child endangering.

Judge Mark Mihok ended the hearing by binding both cases over to a Lorain County grand jury.

Moore, 30, remains in custody on $1 million bond. Boykins, 30, had her bond reduced to $50,000 from $100,000.

Investigators said Moore put the boy in a bath of scalding water Nov. 17 which caused burns on the lower part of his body. Brandon died Nov. 22 at MetroHealth's burn unit.

Moore called 911 on Nov. 17 to report that Brandon was burned at a home on Concord Avenue near Clark Street, police said. Moore later told investigators he put the boy in the bathtub and left the room, then returned to find him burned, Angello said Monday in court.

Boykins was at work when her son was hurt, Angello said. Moore was babysitting the boy.

Samone BoykinsLorain County Sheriff's Office

Boykins' other two children later told investigators that Moore had abused the boy in the past by punching him and grabbing his neck, Angello said. The other children also detailed an instance where Moore held one of Brandon's feet while dangling him upside-down, Angello said.

The other children told investigators that Boykins scolded Moore for his prior behavior, but Boykins denied any knowledge of her son's previous injuries when she spoke to detectives, Angello said.

Defense attorney Richard McClure said no one witnessed Moore give the boy a bath, and argued the boy could have burned himself by climbing into the hot water.

Boykins' defense attorney, Kenneth Ortner, argued the mother was not home at the time and had no knowledge of the incident until her son was taken to the hospital.